Phoning and driving: a danger worth watching

That technology is changing our lives is undeniable. That it might be costing lives seems unthinkable.

A study released this week by the Harvard Center for Risk Analysis suggests that the increasing use of wireless phones by people driving cars could result in 2,600 traffic deaths a year. That figure, a projection based on 1997 statistics, is fuzzy to be sure. Yet with the use of wireless phones rising rapidly, there’s little doubt that their role in traffic accidents is rising accordingly.

Some say that their use by drivers should be banned. New York, one of the most regulated states in the country, is the only so far to have outlawed the use of hand-held phones while driving. (Hands-free phones are OK in New York. But interestingly, the Harvard research didn’t show them to be any safer than the hand-held variety.) Others argue that driver distraction is the real issue, and that singling out one form of it won’t stop others — like changing a CD, putting on makeup or drinking hot coffee.

A bill banning the use of hand-held phones by drivers in this state, first introduced three years ago, has failed to make it out of the Legislature. There doesn’t appear to be new support for the idea.

Research on the safety of phones and driving will continue, however, and lawmakers need to keep abreast of it. If dangerous trends emerge, legislation might make sense. For now, the wireless industry should lead the way in educating drivers about the dangers of talking and driving.

In the end, common sense is the tool every driver needs to take behind the wheel. Inattention can turn a harmless vehicle into a deadly weapon, a sad truth that is confirmed every day. Whether it’s because of a conversation on the phone or a conversation with a passenger, a driver who allows himself to become distracted has made himself a menace to others.

Reckless driving laws are already on the books to deal with drivers who leave common sense behind. They should be enforced.